Apparatus for the production of gas from gasoline



Feb. 3, 1931. T, JONES 1,791,213

APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF GAS FROM GASOLINE Filed Sept. 21. 1928 2 Slieets-Sheet 1 @Z ,CJWM,

J. T. JONES Feb. 3, 1931.

APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF GAS FROM GASOLINE Filed Sept. 21, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 3, 1931 STATE r OFFICE JAMES T. JONES, 0F BRUNSWICK, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR T0 NORMAN A. WAY, CABLE-Y ZELMENOVITZ, AND ASHTON BURFGRD, ALL OF BRUNSWICK, GEORGIA APPARATUS FOR THE ZPBODUCTION 6F GAS FROM GASOLIN E Application filed September 21, 1928. Serial No. 307,500.

This invention relates to an apparatus for the production of gas from gasoline and the object is to provide simple means whereby a constant supply of dry gas under pressure may be available for use in a home or factory building or, by increasing the size and capacity of the apparatus, an entire community may be supplied with such gas.

Another object is to provide such an apparatus having associated parts so related as to entirely avoid all danger from the gas and which may receive its gasoline and air supplies from without the building, the same being thoroughly mixed before entering the latter, and such entrance being efiected by means which causes a suction through the system to thoroughly break up the gasoline for intermingling with the air before being stored, under pressure, in a high pressure supply tank within the building.

A further object is to provide in an apparatus of this character means for drawing the raw gasoline and the air into the system before the same enters the carbureting or mixing chamber,'the two elements being immediately caused to be drawn throughbreakers or bafiies by means of the aforesaid suction and to enter said chamber in a semipressure tank; from which any wet mixture or condensation may be readily drawn to be returned to the gasoline tank.

A final object is to provide an apparatus for the production of gas from gasoline which is of strong and durable construction having few parts to become worn or deranged and which requires no attention by an operator, the same being entirely automatic inits operation and adapted to cease operation when the supply is at a predetermined point within the storage tank and to start operating when said supply falls to a predetermined point.

A full and complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accom anying drawings forming a part of this speci cation it being understood that while the drawings show a practical form of the invention, the

latter is not to be confined to strict conformity with the showing thereof, but may be changed or modified, so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention, as pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures;

Figure 1 is a view in elevation showing the complete apparatus;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical section through the carbureting chamber;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional View taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical section IEhrough the initial breaklng or mixing cham- Figure 5 is a cross section through the said breaking chamber, and

Figure 6 is a detail section, taken at right angles to Fig. 4. a

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawing, it will be seen that parts of the improved apparatus are adapted to be located within the building A while other connected parts are preferably located out-ofdoors, beneath the ground level B, and at any desired distance from the building to insure safety.

A gasoline supply-tank 1, forming part of the latter group, is equipped-with the upstanding filler pipe 2 extending above the ground to supply the tank with gasolinefrom a truck or other source. The said filler pipe is preferablylocated adjacent to one end of the tank and has a suitable closure ca 3, while at the other end of the tank, prefera bIy that adjacent to the building, there is located a carbureting chamber 4 in the form of a closed tank, separate from and considerably smaller than the tank 1 and located above the end of the latter.

The chamber 4 is connected to the adjacent end of the supply tank 1 by a pipe 5 which communicates at one end with the side of the chamber and at the'bottom thereof, and at the other end, with the top of the tank 1, as clearly shown in the drawing.

Entering the bottom of the tank 4, and at the center thereof, is a mixture pipe 6 which extends considerably below the supply tank 1 and is provided with a return bend portion 7 terminating in the bottom of the tank and close to the adjacent end thereof.

The pipe 6 is provided with a union coupling 8 to facilitate the installation in the line of a baflie or breaking chamber 9 which is considerably smaller than the carbureting chamber and is located entirely below the supply tank. The chamber 9 is of cylindrical form, closed at each end and having threaded openings 10 in each end for connection with the pipe line 6 and is provided with a plurality of vertically disposed sections or plates 11 of fine wire mesh arranged in touching relation and adapted to cause the incoming elements to be thoroughly broken up and intermingled as they are drawn by suction through the same, in a manner to be described.

Connected to the. pipe line 6 below the chamber 9, there is a short horizontal pipe 12 having elbow connection with an upstanding air pipe 13 which extends considerably above the ground level to insure a supply of fresh clean air and which is equipped with a pair of downwardly-extending elbows 14 to con stitute inlet ports for the air.

Connected to the top of the tank 4 is a pipe 15, preferably located below the ground level and extending to and entering the building A where the same is connected to a compressor 16 of any suitable form for compressing gas, said pipe line 15 having a main cut-ofi valve 17 included therein adjacent to the compressor and within the building for the purpose of cutting oii the source of supply.

The compressor 16 is connected, by means of a. pipe 18 with a relatively large storage tank 19 preferably located within the building and having a capacity to suit the demand and strength to withstand the high pressure which it is desired to place on the gas therein so that ample supply may be had at remote points.

The pipe 18 enters the tank 19 at the top thereof and is equipped with a pressure indicator 20 and a cut-ofi valve 21 for closing to prevent back pressure when the tank is fully stored under pressure and the gas is to be conducted through the supply pipe 22 to the various points-of consumption throughout the building. The pipe 22 is connected to the pipe 18 at the top of the tank by a T-coupling 23 and a gas regulator 24 of any appropriate design is interposed in the pipe line22 to properly regulate the flow of gas under pressure through said line.

The compressor 16 is adapted to be preferably driven by an ordinary electric motor 25 mounted on a common base with the compressor and adapted to be intermittently actuated when the pressure within the stormeters tric switch, nor the gas regulator 24 in the drawings as such devices are on the market and well-known. A check valve 28 is interposed in the pipe line 18 between the automatic switch and theconnection with the compressor to prevent back pressure of the compressed gas from the tank 19 and through the compressor when the cut-oil valve 17 is closed.

With the arrangements of the parts of the apparatus as above described it will be seen that the gasoline and air is drawn through the system by means of suction, the air being caused to enter the ports 14: at a location where clean air is obtainable, the admixture with the raw gasoline taking place at a point below the tank 1, so that the entire contents of the supply tank may be obtained and utilized. The gasoline and the fresh air are caused to be thoroughly broken up and intermingled immediately at the point oi juncture by means of the fine wire mesh in the. breaking chamber 9 when they 'are drawn upwardly into the carbureting chamber 4-. This chamber is of cylindrical form having a closed top and bottom and the upperend of the pipe 6 is threaded where passing through said bottom and extends somewhat above the latter, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. A conical separating chamber 29 is adjustably mounted on the upper end portion of the pipe 6 within the cylindrical casing 4, the upper end of the pipe extending close to the top or apex of the cone which is formed of sheet metal having imperforate conical walls and a perforated bottom wall 30 located in a horizontal end of the pipe 6 and terminally secured to the conical andbottom walls, and providing an annular space around the upper end of the pipe 6 for the purpose of confining a packing of mineral wool 32 or other-similar material which completely fills the conical chamber and acts to further separate the mixture entering from the upper end of the pipe 6 and to force the admixture to ass through ,the wool and the perforated bottom 30, thence around the periphery of the cone, which is spaced from the walls 4.- and through the space above which constitutes a drying chamber, before entering the pipe 15. Any moist-or wet gasoline which may accumulate at the bottonrof the casing 4 will gravitate through the pipe 5 back into the tank 1, and it will be observed that by lid till

locating the breaking chamber below the supply tank a full supply of gasoline is assured at all times in the breaking chamber, located above the air inlet so that the air bubbles are thoroughly broken up thereby supply of dry gas to the point or points of consumption, the mixture being drawn through the system by suction and causing the gasoline to be thoroughly broken up and mixed with the air before entering the storage tank under pressure and that automatic means are employed to insure a constant replenishing of gas to the storage tank without the necessity for the manual operation of parts or other care of an attendant.

Having fully described my invention, and set forth its merits, what ll claim is 1. In an apparatus for production of gas from gasoline, embodying a gasoline supply tank, a tank for storage of gas under pres sure and a pipe line connecting the two tanks; at earhureting chamber interposed in the pipe line by which communication is established between the lower portion of the gasoline supply tank and the lower portion of said carbureting chamber, an-air supply pipein communication with the pipe line between the gasoline supply tank and carbureting chamher, and a gas compressor interposed in the pipe line between the carbureting chamber and gas storage tank, and operable to create suction to draw gasoline and air respectively, into the carbureting chamber and discharge resultant gas from said chamber under pres sure to the gas storage tank.

2.. in an apparatus for production of gas from gasoline embodying a gasoline supply tank, a second tank, for storage ot gas under pressure and having a pipe line connection with the gasoline supply tank; a carbureting chamber interposed in the pipe line adjacent to the gasoline supply tank and located at a higher elevation than said tank, said carbureting chamber comprising a hollow casing having a portion of the pipe line extending upward into the casing, a conical casing provided with a perforated bottom on said pipe line, the conical casing having a filling of mineral wool, and a compressor for draw-- ing by suction gasoline and air into the carbureting chamber and through its mineral Wool filling and directing the resulting gas to the gas storage tank.

In an apparatus for production of gas :trom gasoline, embodying a gasoline u pply tank, a tank for storage of gas under pressure, and a gas compressor having a pipe connection with the gasoline supply tank and the gas storage tank; a carbureting chamber having a pipe connection with the compressor and the gasoline supply tank, means for controlling the flow between the compressor and thegas storage tank and between the carburetor and compressor, respectively means coming the raw gasoline and admitting air to the same prior to entrance into the carbureting chamber.

4. ln an apparatus for converting gasoline into gas, embodying a gasoline supply tank, a gas storage tank and a gas compressor; a carbureting chamber interposed between the gas supply tank, and gas storage tank and located above the gasoline tank, a pipe line connecting the bottom of the gasoline supply tank with the bottom of the carburetmg chamber, a 'pipe, line connecting the top of the carbureting chamber with the compressor, 7

a pipe line connecting the compressor with the top of the gas storage tank, an air supply pipe connected to the pipe line between the gas supply tank and the carbureting chamber, a tubular casing-interposed in the pipe line between the gasoline supply tank and carbureting chamber and provided with a wire mesh filling to initially subdivide and mix the air and gasoline prior to entrance into the carbureting chamber,

In testimony whereof I afix my signature.

JAMES "l2- JUNE 

